“Plans are advancing for the redevelopment of the former Washington Park National Bank at 6300 S Cottage Grove Avenue. Located on the corner with E 63rd Street in Woodlawn, plans for the redevelopment date back to 2019 and have seen various iterations throughout the time. Now the development team, DL3 Realty, has been hosting community input meetings.

“Built in 1924 and designed by Albert A. Schwartz in the Neoclassical-style, the project calls for a preservation and restoration of its facade and partial gutting of its interior. This will bring the completed structure to six-stories in height with a glass curtain wall facade set-back from the original exterior. All of this is being designed by bKL Architecture.

“During the community meetings, minor changes to the plans were revealed. The structure will still include around 70,000 square-feet of Class A office space on the upper levels, some of the first on the South Side in 30 years, but will now be officially anchored by the relocation of the Bessie Coleman Public Library from next door.

“The library will take over all of the second floor and part of the first, unlocking funds for the project as the city will look at keeping part of the existing library for additional office space and parking. The library would also be joined by a small ground floor retail space, and stepped terraces along the side of the structure.

“Now known as ‘Revive 63’ by the developer, the original cost for the proposal was set to be around $40 million, however this was when they expected a 2025 completion. That date has now been pushed, with construction anticipated to commence in the spring of 2026 and to be fully completed in 2028, with the library portion opening in late 2027. (Achong, Chicago YIMBY, 1/5/25)

“The limestone façade on the 99-year-old building will be preserved and renovated, but the rest of the structure will be demolished and rebuilt due to roof, flooding and masonry damage and other issues. The developers previously planned to demolish the entire building.

“The century-old bank building was bought by the Cook County Land Bank in 2017 after accumulating about $3.7 million in unpaid taxes as it sat dormant for 25 years. While the land bank approved DL3’s proposal to redevelop the property in 2019, myriad issues have plagued the transaction as both parties have been grappling with problems like flooding, confusion over Opportunity Zone regulations and the pandemic.” (Nesbitt Golden, Block Club Chicago, 9/14/23)

Preservation Chicago is thrilled by this outcome. We have long urged DL3 Real Estate, the Cook County Land Bank Authority and other stakeholders to preserve and reuse this historic building.

We wish to recognize the leadership of Eleanor Gorski during her leadership of the Cook County Land Bank Authority which was essential to this preservation-oriented direction. Additionally, Preservation Chicago’s dedicated advocacy proved critical at many milestones over the past decade. The Washington Park National Bank was a Chicago 7 Most Endangered in 2016 and again in 2020.

The Washington Park National Bank Building is an important neighborhood anchor on a commercial corridor that has seen the tragic loss of many important buildings. It is essential for the long-term reinvestment and prosperity of this commercial district that this historic building be preserved and redeveloped.

Read the full story at Chicago YIMBY

• New Details And Timeline Revealed For Revive 63 Redevelopment In Woodlawn, Ian Achong, Chicago YIMBY, 1/5/25
• Woodlawn Bank Redevelopment Aims To House Public Library Under Developer’s Plan; After years of shifting plans for the former Washington Park National Bank, developer Revive 6300 now proposes a six-story office building with shops and a library — all behind the old building’s façade, Maxwell Evans, Block Club Chicago, 2/6/25
• Developers seek community input on Woodlawn bank building revival, Ahmad Sayles, Hyde Park Herald, 1/28/25
• Historic Washington Park National Bank Building Gets Approval To Build Luxury Offices; The $40 million redevelopment project, a collaboration between two Black-owned firms, could be completed by 2025, Jamie Nesbitt Golden, Block Club Chicago, 9/14/23
• Washington Park Bank Building approved by City Council, Zoe Pharo, Hyde Park Herald, 9/12/23
• Washington Park National Bank. A 2020 Chicago 7 Most Endangered